Gun racks have been known and used for some time, especially in pickup trucks to both store and protect long weapons, including rifles, shotguns, and in some instances bows. The advantages of a gun rack are minimized movement of the weapon within the vehicle, ease of accessibility and use of the weapon, and preservation of the weapon against unwanted and harmful contact with other objects which might scratch or damage the weapons.
However, the gun racks of the past, and especially those used in trucks, display the weapons prominently. Although prominent display of an owner's fine weapons is an advantage, the increasing incidence of theft makes the prominently displayed weapon an invitation for theft. Further, and especially in the case of the recreational, or four wheel vehicle, the metal structures present in a truck are not available to mount a conventional rack behind the seat.
Other gun racks are also known which facilitate storage across the front of a seat. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,477,586 to L. Haluska entitled "Portable Gun Rack" and which issued on Nov. 11, 1967 discloses a rack having hook members, cross strut supports, and an adjustable length. This rack however, occupies an entire seating position or more in the back seat of a vehicle. Further, there is no method with which to tie the rack down. Even further, the rifles mounted thereon must be done in an unstable position, with the scopes disposed upwardly, and with the on-rack tie down extending through and beneath the scopes of the rifles. With this structure and method, the owner would do just about as well in laying the weapons across the seat and in the floor board, since the back seat is at least partially occupied.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,497,077 to G. D. Sjostrand entitled "Gun Rack for Vehicles" and which issued on May 29, 1968, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,780 to Wayne F. Woodbury entitled "Gun Rack" and which issued on Aug. 1, 1989, both disclose a single rack having a central expandable length bar. The Sjostrand device has its own strap type tie-down about its center point and tilts back toward the rear of the vehicle, while the Woodbury device tilts toward the front of the vehicle. These are specialized two weapon structures, and both occupy an amount of space which would displace a passenger in the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,131,202 to Hansen entitled "Console Gun Rack" and which issued on Dec. 26, 1978, discloses an awkward console design wherein the lid of a console box opens to support a plurality of weapons an a very steep angle.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,261,521 to W. R. Meccio et al entitled "Gun Rack" and which issued on Jul. 19, 1966 discloses a fold down design which is much like a conventional gun rack, except that it is folded to the roof of a vehicle, and swings down in a conventional position. This design could be dangerous and difficult to reach, especially given the weight of a loaded weapon or two which the rack must support.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,537 to Thedieck entitled "Removable Gun Rack" and which issued on Feb. 26, 1991, discloses a horizontal web extendable between two vertical members of a jeep roll bar. No provision is made for the support of the butt of the weapons. U.S. Pat. No. 3,876,068 to Gomes et al entitled "Portable Gun Rack" and which issued on Apr. 8, 1975, discloses a stand-off mount for a nearly vertical wall section.
None of the above designs allow for a more stealthy design, and which takes up minimum additional seating. None of the above designs are easily portable, or enable the rifle to be carried scope down, in its more stable position.